Next wave at Albany NanoTech is 450 mm

Gov. Eliot Spitzer attended a roundtable discussion today at the University at Albany’s College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering about public higher education in the state.

The event was both enlightening and funny at the same time, especially because the governor was quite frank about his lack of understanding of the semiconductor industry.

For instance, Spitzer used this line when talking about a silicon wafer that is used to make computer chips:

“It used to be something you dipped in milk and ate at night,” the governor said.

And on two occasions, Spitzer accidentally referred to 450 “milliliter” silicon wafers used to make computer chips.

Although it’s possible he might have been kidding, he really meant to say 450 “millimeter” wafers.

The latest wafer technology is 300 millimeter, which is 12 inches across. 450 millimeters would be 18 inches across.

Spitzer was talking about 450 millimeter wafers because that is expected to be the size of wafers upon which the future of chip manufacturing will be based, since more chips can be produced more cheaply that way than using the 300 millimeter process.

The NanoCollege currently has 300 millimeter capabilities at the Albany NanoTech facility that houses the school, but Alain Kaloyeros, the chief administrator at the NanoCollege, said the school could upgrade to 450 millimeters for $200 million.

He noted though that the state would only have to spend about $50 million since semiconductor companies that operate at Albany NanoTech would likely foot 75 percent of the cost.

So it’s possible that Kaloyeros may one day come asking for that $50 million from the state legislature.

Spitzer also asked Kaloyeros what the next step of expansion was at the NanoCollege, which is currently building a $100 million addition.

Kaloyeros said the next step would be to use the Albany NanoTech model to spur nanotech economic activity in other parts of the state.